Recently, Jodi and I sat down with freelance journalist, Scott Sowers, to discuss the design challenges of the Historic Molette House in Molettes Bend, Alabama. Below is the full article below that will appear in the July 2014 print and digital edition of Remodeling Magazine. The article is currently on the magazine’s website. published on is a writer, producer and executive producer of various media content covering the field architecture and design, whose work has carried him into a variety of related areas of interest and expertise.

Historic preservation issues when renovating, adding on, and moving a house almost two centuries old can lead to unconventional solutions. Chris and Jodi Laumer-Giddens came up with their share when called on to install 21st century energy efficiencies into one of Alabama’s oldest homes.

The 1825 Molette Plantation house in Dallas County, Ala., already was scheduled to move to a new location and was slated for an addition when Chris and Jodi’s Atlanta-based architectural firm, LG Squared, became involved. As they began working on the project, the designer’s role expanded. “The owners originally contacted us to design the mechanical system, but after some additional site visits we took a closer look at the building envelope by doing some energy modeling,” says Chris.

Because the owners wanted to keep the existing section of the house as close as possible to the original design, they had already chosen single-pane windows–a less than desirable energy choice for this Deep South home. Adding to the complexity, the design team was charged with preserving the interior paneling and saving the exterior siding on the existing house while tightening the building envelope.

Each piece of original siding was carefully removed, course-by-course, as missing boards were replaced with new ones manufactured to the same specifications. To work around the vintage-style wall construction, compensate for the heat gain from the windows, circumvent moisture issues and hold costs down, LG Squared, Inc. selected rock wool insulation for the walls (R-15 in the original house, R-23 in the addition) followed by a layer of insulated sheathing (R-3.6 throughout) covered with a ventilated rain screen. The roof got [continuous] insulation worth an R-23.6 rating.

All seams in the sheathing and gaps around window openings were taped or sealed with an adhesive in an attempt to turn the house into what its designers described as a “giant beer cooler.” Insulated sheathing was also used on the roof to seal off the lid of the cooler, while liquid flashing was applied at all windows.

The design team suggested a mini-split system for heating and cooling, but using the ductless variety on interior walls was voted down for aesthetic reasons. “Ducted mini-splits give you almost the same efficiency as the ductless and you don’t see them,” says Chris. Instead, the project uses four air handlers hidden above the ceilings, each controlling one zone of the house. A tankless water heater and an energy recovery ventilation system are also part of the mix.

Enthalpy (or Energy) Recovery Ventilation unit

Chris believes the result of the retrofit is a home that’s at least 25% better than the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code—and would have been up to 50% better if he had been able to use double-pane windows. As it stands, the home should score a HERS rating of 65 to 75, he figures.

The homeowners, David and Eleanor Molette Cheatham, who live in Atlanta, plan to use the house as a weekend getaway and eventually retire there. The house has been in their family for seven generations and had been moved once before. The latest move for the 80-ton building removed it from a flood plain, took six hours and covered three miles of country roads bordered by cotton fields.

Because the original section of the house didn’t have a kitchen or bathroom, those rooms are going into the addition along with a dining room and living area. The upstairs of the addition will contain a guest suite and the master bath. The old section of the house will be devoted to a family room and den on the first floor with the master bedroom and another bedroom on the second floor.

LG Squared worked with local builder Steve Johnson of Renovations Plus, based in Marbury, Ala., to come up with a plan to blend the old section of the house with the new addition. “They will look almost identical, with the new section coming off the center of the original house,” says Chris, “it will also have a back porch with a lower roof and a front porch that matches the rest of the design details.” The project is expected to be finished this fall.

Chris and Jodi Laumer-Giddens with Steve Johnson

“It’s very challenging to take a building with no insulation, and incorporating modern requirements into a house that was built without any requirements at all,” says Chris. “We were also able to come up with a floor plan that exceeded the owner’s expectations.”

-with the exception of the first photo, all photos courtesy of homeowners, David and Eleanor Chetham

Sorry to say but you totally missed the boat by not using foam insulation. Wool creates allergy and asthma problems. Wool does not stop air permeation, Rodents and insects love the stuff for nesting.

I do historic homes both here in Huntsville Al. and Chattanooga Tn. There is nothing available that even remotely comes close to Injection or spray foam. Our foam is EPA, DoE, Green Earth Approved, hypoallergenic, fire barrier and the list goes on. Nice home other than that.

What an awesome project! Having lived in the south, I'm betting that humidity and rainwater run off were a consideration. It's wonderful that they are able to keep the home in their family, moving it twice in the process. Too bad they have single pane windows, but a 65-75 HERS score is still amazing for this character of a home. Congratulations to the designers and especially the owners for updating this home to what must have been a 200+ HERS score to the current score.